President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on imported goods from countries like China, Canada, and Mexico, are aimed to protect American industries and reduce trade deficits. On the other hand, the increased cost of goods could have far-reaching complications in various sectors, including education.
Economic Uncertainty
A tariff is a tax on imported goods from other countries. This makes foreign products more expensive and ultimately is meant to encourage consumers to purchase locally.
The increased cost of everyday items, such as food, cars, electronics, can contribute to problems like inflation and economic instability. For schools and educators, this can be an obvious set back.
State and local governments rely heavily on a stable economy for revenue. If tariffs were to cause inflation, raising revenue and government spending would be necessary. As a result, public schools may see certain budget restraints.
Future teachers can expect to see tighter school budgets as well as reduced resources.
Kaileigh Phillips, a senior Adolescent English Education Major with a minor in Communication Studies, shares her personal beliefs about these new tariffs and the negative impacts they will have on future educators like herself.
Phillips commented on the potential repercussions of tighter school budgets and less resources available to both current and future teachers.
“From the teacher aspect, districts may not be able to financially support the purchase of multiple pieces of technology,” Phillips said. “Every classroom has some type of computer and projector and with prices going up a certain percentage, the amount the district can afford will be affected.”
She argues that iPads and Chromebooks are essential to giving students the education they need. Schools now provide students with this technology, but if tariffs eventually reduce school budgets, low income districts may not be able to provide them anymore.
Increased Cost of Living
Future tariffs are also expected to increase the price of day to day living. Higher cost of goods and services lead to a higher cost of living for everyone.
With President Trump’s plan to implement a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, and a 10% tariff on all goods imported from China, consumers may see a change in prices. From China alone, there could be more than $450 billion worth of imports.
Consumer goods from China include footwear, clothing, children’s toys, video games, and electronics.
As of last Thursday, the Tax Foundation has estimated that tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China combined will result in an average tax increase of about $800 per U.S. household this year.
Phillips also gave her opinion regarding the impact that tariffs could have on her personal finances and life as a high school teacher.
“I think it will affect me because as a future educator I will already be making a lower end salary and a lot of teachers need to buy materials for their own classrooms that aren’t funded by the school districts,” she said. “With prices going up it will essentially affect how much money I will be spending and how much money I will put into decorating my classroom as a first year teacher”.
Even if consumers do not see an immediate change on sticker prices, tariffs will still have a deep effect internally on the U.S. economy.
For now, the president has revoked the 25% tariffs from both Mexico and Canada for at least another month. Duties with China had advanced last week but China has shown some retaliation.
President Trump also signed a memorandum last Thursday for fair and reciprocal tariffs with all U.S. trading partners.
“If they charge us, we charge them,” Trump said.
The president hopes that the implementation of tariffs will hold these countries accountable to their promises of not allowing illegal aliens or drugs into the country. It is important for policymakers, educators and communities to navigate these complexities of economic policies and implications.